Tips to Cooking Healthier Classic Holiday Dishes
Cooking your own foods during the holidays is the best way to control your calories and prevent gaining weight. It also increases your activity at the same time, making the foods more rewarding too. Believe it or not, many holiday classic dishes don't need to be made as unhealthy as they commonly are. You can easily swap and reduce certain ingredients or use the idea to make a similar healthier treat too.
The following are four tips for cooking healthier holiday dishes to avoid holiday weight gain:
Use Less Sugar
Many recipes can easily work with less sugar or a healthier alternative such as honey or apple sauce. Reducing sugar can be a simple way to avoid excess weight gain while keeping the flavor intact. However, many holiday treats have too much sugar to start with, and you probably won't even notice the difference. Likewise, opting for desserts that use natural sugars like real apple pie or dates bars are healthier alternatives. In addition, there are many different treats you can make with fruits. Just give it a YouTube search, and you will be amazed by all your options to consume only natural sugars during the holidays.
Swap for Healthier Fats
Avoid using shortening, margarine, or other unhealthy fats. Real butter, cream, coconut milk, olive oil, and avocados are all great healthy fat alternatives to try instead. Also, try using almond or oat milk in exchange for full-fat milk. Don't reach for low-fat products, fat-free dairy, or other products as these are often high in sugar and can add extra weight.
Control the Sodium
Cut or reduce the sodium. Using Himalayan pink, unsalted butter, broths, and spices and limiting processed foods are good places to start if you can't do without. Salt in moderation is important to maintaining healthy blood pressure and balancing the fluids found in the blood. Meaning if you don't have enough salt, it can lead to excess inflammation and swelling -- which is why you should always limit, never restrict it.
Add in More Vegetables
Vegetables are your friends. Make as many as you can and experiment by incorporating them throughout each dish. For example, instead of rice, try cauliflower rice and don't turn them into thick and creamy casseroles.
Don't stress about weight gain any longer during the holidays. Keeping the weight off is possible as long as you commit to cooking and indulging in the right foods while limiting or swapping out the unhealthy ones.
